


The Best Gift

by bronweathanharthad



Category: Dunkirk (2017)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Pre-Canon, Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2020-12-19
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:07:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 738
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28162158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bronweathanharthad/pseuds/bronweathanharthad
Summary: Alma discovers that she will have a gift coming in June
Kudos: 4
Collections: winter / holidays / new years





	The Best Gift

**Author's Note:**

> title is a song by Barbra Streisand

“Well, Mrs. Henderson, I suppose congratulations are in order.”

She looked up at her doctor with wide eyes. “What?”

“As you suspected, you are with child. I expect your child will arrive in late June.”

An involuntary “Oh my God” escaped her lips.

The doctor continued as if he didn’t hear her. “I will give you one more prescription of iron pills to help with your fatigue. In the meantime, make sure to get plenty of rest.”

She all but floated to her car.

She couldn’t believe it. That would certainly explain the dizzy spells and fatigue and sudden aversion to the smell of eggs, and she heard the doctor’s confirmation with her own ears, but still she couldn’t believe it.

In June, she would finally be a mother, and her husband would finally be a father. Oh, she couldn’t wait to tell him.

But perhaps, she thought as she drove, she should wait. Christmas was around the corner, after all. She could probably wait a few more days. And it might be nice to give an appropriate gift instead of telling Daniel directly.

She parked by a bookstore. She would start her search there.

“Excuse me,” she said to an employee. “Do you have parenting books?”

Would that she could find a pregnancy book. But alas, there was no widely accepted pregnancy advice except to rest. Oh well. She could reach out to her mother-in-law if necessary, and she could save that concern for another day.

She wrapped the book in wrapping paper that she hadn’t used for her other gifts for Daniel. She wanted him to open this one last, and she had to be sure that it stood out.

As she readied some ribbon, she found herself suddenly feeling very silly. Was this really necessary? She didn’t anticipate using a parenting book that often, for she may very well disagree with the advice offered, and Daniel would possibly feel the same way. There was nothing wrong with simply telling him.

But she had already bought the book and didn’t feel like returning it. And despite her general confidence in her future parenting abilities, she couldn’t know for sure until she was actually a mother. Also, this was their first baby. It should be a special announcement.

She added the ribbon to the gift and curled some extra ribbon for good measure. She inspected her wrapping one last time and declared it acceptable.

Despite the iron pills and a decent night’s sleep, Alma still woke up fatigued on Christmas morning. But fatigue was better than dizziness or nausea.

She threw a robe over her nightgown and tied it as she made her way to the living room. Daniel had gotten up only a few minutes before she did, and he had also decided to wear a robe.

They gave each other a kiss. “Do you want to pick the first gifts?” she said.

“Sure.”

But as he reached for the book, she said, “No, not that one. Save it for last.”

This year’s gifts were mostly practical, things that they needed at home and work – thread for the sewing kit, typewriter ink, things like that. The most indulgent gifts were cologne for Daniel and a bracelet for Alma.

Eventually the book was the last remaining gift. “I’ll get it,” she said.

She felt nauseated from nerves as she picked up the book. There was no doubt that the news would elate him, but she felt nervous all the same. She took a deep breath and put a smile on her face as she went back to the couch.

He unwrapped a copy of _Psychological Care of Infant and Child_.

She was ready to explain that the book might come in handy in June, but there was no need. His whole face lit up. “Are you pregnant?”

She nodded with a laugh. “Due in June.”

He dropped the book and threw his arms around her. It was perhaps the tightest hug he had ever given her. She returned his embrace with equal fervor as a few happy tears leaked from her eyes.

They then kissed, and as they kissed Alma saw that he, too, had shed a few tears of joy.

Daniel looked at her with as much tenderness as she saw on their wedding day. “I love you,” he said, putting his hand gently on her stomach. “I can’t wait to take this journey with you.”


End file.
